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Forget Secretly Cheating, We Just Do Our Own Thing

Catchy title eh? Don’t worry. It’s not what you think? I don’t have the energy to pull that off. I am quite happy with one special person in my life.

No, the title is referring to cheating on the person you binge watch Netflix shows with. Yes, it’s true. A recent study shows 46% of the people polled, will venture on with a show and not wait for their partner.

So how do we get around that sticky situation at our house? It’s easy. We have our own shows. No waiting around required.

Currently my wife is blitzing through every episode of Scandal she can get her hands on, while I am spending time with The Fall.

Sure we may cross paths and watch a few minutes of each other’s show, but there is no guilt or need to explain what’s going on.

In the past, we have had shows we watched together like The Crown, but for the most part, it seems easier to have our own time with Netflix and enjoy our own series.

But what about together time and watching shows with the kids? I say, forget that, ha ha. We do a lot of stuff together as a family, but for me, Netflix is a time for me to zone out on my own and take a break from the busy.

No cheating necessary. No guilt. No waiting around. Just enjoyment when you have the chance for it.

Is that so wrong?

What’s your story in your house? Do you watch everything together and get into fights over having to wait?

The last time we did that, House of Cards became a show we no longer watched because we forgot about it.

#StreamTeam

Official News Release

New data reveals 46% of streaming couples around the world are watching ahead of their partners and most only plan to cheat more.

No relationship is safe. According to a new study* released today by Netflix, nearly half (46%) of streaming couples around the world have “cheated” on their significant other, but it’s not what you think.

Defined as watching a TV show ahead of your significant other, Netflix cheating was first uncovered in a study in the U.S. in 2013. Four years later, cheating has increased three times[1] and has become a common behaviour around the world. This behaviour only continues to grow with 60% of consumers saying they’d cheat more if they knew they’d get away with it. And once you cheat, you can’t stop: 81% of cheaters are repeat offenders and 44% have cheated 3+ times.

In a binge-watching world where it’s easy to say ‘just one more,’ Netflix cheating has quickly become the new normal in Canada and around the world…

WHERE IS CHEATING HAPPENING? (EVERYWHERE)
Cheating happens all over the world…though it varies a bit by country. Turns out Canadians are a little less polite than you may think with over a third (37%) of couples streaming behind each other’s backs. The most cheaters are in Brazil and Mexico where 57% and 58% of streaming couples have cheated, respectively. The most loyal viewers are in Netherlands (73% have not cheated), Germany (65%) and Poland (60%).

WHAT SHOWS ARE WE CHEATING ON? (ALL OF THEM)
While no show is off limits to some (30%), the top 10 cheating temptations in Canada are The Walking Dead, Breaking Bad, Orange is the New Black, Grey’s Anatomy, Bates Motel, Stranger Things, Gilmore Girls, House of Cards, Narcos and The 100.

WHY DO WE CHEAT? (WE JUST CAN’T HELP IT)
Most don’t plan to cheat…it just happens: 76% of cheating is unplanned in Canada. The trigger for the growing trend in cheating? Two-thirds (66%) of cheaters globally said that “the shows are just so good we can’t stop bingeing.”

HOW DO WE CHEAT? (ANY WAY WE CAN)
Sleep with one eye open: 25% of global cheating happens when one partner falls asleep. But whether this is even cheating is hotly debated. Half say “sleep cheating” doesn’t count (53%), but the morality of “sleep cheating” varies across the globe. Chileans think it’s no big deal, Japan sees it as unforgivable and most Canadians (61%) say sleep cheating isn’t cheating at all.

IS CHEATING SO BAD? (DEPENDS WHERE YOU LIVE)
If you stray, don’t beat yourself up about it. Cheating has become more socially acceptable in Canada, with 57% saying it’s “not bad at all.” Unless of course, you’re the other half of the 7% of streaming couples who think watching ahead is worse than having an “actual” affair. Hong Kong is even less forgiving where 40% feel watching ahead of your partner is worse than infidelity.

HOW DO WE BREAK THE NEWS OF THIS GLOBAL TREND? (VISUALLY, OF COURSE)
Cheating comes in many forms. Netflix has created a series of assets to help explain the phenomenon. Cheating Profiles highlight the most common types of offenders lurking in households around the world. This infographic illustrates scandalous streamers’ motivations and behaviours, and reaction GIFs help couples work through their indiscretions so they can protect their relationship…or keep on cheating.

Methodology
*The survey was conducted by SurveyMonkey from December 20-31, 2016 and based on 30,267 responses. The sample was balanced by age and gender and representative of an adult online population who watch TV shows via streaming services as a couple in The United States, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, India, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong, UAE, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Poland, Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, The Netherlands, and Denmark.